Hooray for Nurses!

[PJmomrunner]

A bit of a story to share:

I ran into an acquaintance with whom I have chatted in the past at our sons' baseball games at the grocery store today. I knew she was a nurse, but I didn't know she was a cardiac care nurse. Because she had seen me huffing and puffing after climbing 3/4 of the way up the football stadium steps last Friday, a mutual friend had filled her in on my valve issue. So today at the grocery store she tells me she's a cardiac care nurse, we chat a bit, I ask her if she's aware of the connection between BAV's and Ascending AA's and she says, "oh yeah! They go hand in hand." So I asked her if she knew any local cardiologists who know that and, to make a long story short, she tells me to "run away" from my cardiologist (who I knew was lame, but I hadn't heard of any who weren't, so I stayed...) and go to this other guy who she says, "if I woke up in a cardiac unit and saw his face, I'd know I was going to be okay."

This is so validating and gives me just the push I need to leave Dr. Lame-O! Hooray for nurses!

 

[BAV Pt's daughter]

Very important to get a better doc. Mom's first cardiologist (who I told her to stay as far away from as possible) wasn't even measuring her ascending or descending aorta, much less making her aware that there was an aneurysm, but we know it was there because of the reports we've since obtained. She measured over 4.1or2 years ago, but we were never the wiser. So glad I finally convinced her to change. I have to agree with you on the cheers for nurses, but then, I am the biased one for that...

 

[Karlynn]

That's a ringing endorsement! Glad you found a new doc!

 

[geebee]

Everytime I have done research on medical care, be it doctors or facilities, I have always talked to the nurses associated with them. Nurses are the best source of information AND they are most willing to talk about both good and bad.

So happy to hear about your success. Now get that guy fired and go see the new one.

 

[Phyllis]

I totally agree with Gina- whenever you need to find the best doctor, just ask the nurses. Glad you now have the name of a good one- go for it!

 

[Nancy]

Nurses know the inside scoop. We've also found that excellent doctors are friends with other excellent doctors, and not so friendly with those who aren't. So if you have an excellent doc, they will lead you to other excellent specialists.

 

[JohnnyV_46]

Having a Great Doctor makes all the difference in the world..... I didn't have a choice really with mine. At 5.9 they told me I was ticking time bomb and I was already there for the heart attack. I just wonder why if they know about this condition, they make people wait for the danged Surgery? Besides being dangerous, look how it affects peoples quality of life. Like you said, huffing and puffing...not like you can work out and make it better...Shoot, I huffed and puffed for years and blamed it all on cigarettes(yeah I know a stupid habit) and being 30 pounds overweight. Is it the Insurance companies that just won't pay to have it corrected early on? I'm so glad you ran into that nurse....


John

 

[Ross]

Having a Great Doctor makes all the difference in the world..... I didn't have a choice really with mine. At 5.9 they told me I was ticking time bomb and I was already there for the heart attack. I just wonder why if they know about this condition, they make people wait for the danged Surgery? Besides being dangerous, look how it affects peoples quality of life. Like you said, huffing and puffing...not like you can work out and make it better...Shoot, I huffed and puffed for years and blamed it all on cigarettes(yeah I know a stupid habit) and being 30 pounds overweight. Is it the Insurance companies that just won't pay to have it corrected early on? I'm so glad you ran into that nurse....


John

I don't know John, I'd like to think this, but they seem to build themselves on statistics. The best thing I heard one night on Trauma, Life in the ER, came from a surgeons son, who was also a surgeon. His dad had told him that the patients care is based on statistics, but listen to your gut, if your gut is telling you different, go with what it says. It could very well be God whispering in your ear. Wish more would live it like that!

 

[Marguerite53]

wouldn't it be nice

wouldn't it be nice

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone just got a great doctor from the start!! Maybe we need to develop a rating card. You go in for your first visit, you ask a specific set of questions....if the doctor balks, hedges or stares blankly into space (my personal favorite!) you just smile and walk out!!

PJ. So glad you are feeling that sense of relief. It's like a weight off your sholders, isn't it? Now go find someone you can trust and let us know what they have to say.

Good luck!

Marguerite